Folding crate or box.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

I J. P. BUTCHER. FOLDING CRATE 0R BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. 1905.

wi ful/ w an up:

JOHN F. BUTCHER, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN.

FQLDING CRATE OR BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed November 27,1905- Serial No. 289,291.

T0 at whom it noaq concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. BUTCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Pleasant, county of lVayne, State of hrlichigai'i, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Crates or Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object an improved crate the same being more particularly designed and adapted for use as an egg crate, although it might be used for other purposes within the scope of my invention.

The aim of my invention also more espe cially contemplates a knock-down or folding shipping crate or box which may be readily collapsed and set up.

The advantages of a folding or knockdown shipping crate or box for eggs and the like are evident.

My invention consists of the combination, construction and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating features of my invention, the crate being in set up condition. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough on the line 2, 2 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the construction and manner of h nging the end portions to the side portions. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the construction and manner of hinging the central partition to the bottom. ing the manner of holding the partition in set up position. Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of the same and Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the construction and arrangement of the top or cover.

In the drawings a and I) represent the two sides of the crate or box and c and d represent the two ends thereof. The sides a, b are each provided at their extremities with vertical cleats or bars indicated at c. The end portions are each provided with top and bottom cross bars indicated at f and 9. These cross bars are preferably engaged on the inner surface of the end portions. Said cross bars at their extremities have a jointed engagement with the adjacent cleats of the side portions in any suitable manner within the scope of my invention, but I prefer to locate underneath said cleats, or between the cleats and Fig. 5 is a detail view illustratl l I l l I l l the adjacent surfaces of the side portions, wires indicated at h extending from end to end under said cleats and projecting beyond the ends of the cleats sulliciently to pass through the adjacent ends of the cross bars of the end portions of the crate and to be clenched down thereupon as indicated. This construction forms a simple and economical jointed connection the end portions and the sides. The bottom cross-bars project within the crate to form supports for the bottom indicated at I prefer to make the bottom entirely removable and independent of the body of the crate so that it can be lifted out to permit the folding of the sides and ends of the crate. Jointcdly engaged upon the inner surface of the bottom is a partition which may be folded down upon the bottom when the crate or box is collapsed or when the bottom is removed. The partition may be jointedly connected with the bottom in any suitable manner but an economical manner of accomplishing this end is to secure upon the bottom a couple of wire staples indicated at Z, the extremities of the staples being passed through the bottom and clenched down. The adjacent edge of partition may be kerfed as indicated at m, to receive the inner portion of said staples, nails indicated at a, being driven into the edge of the partition and through the loop of the staple to hold the partition in hinged or jointed engagement with the bottom.

To hold the partition in upright position in a set up crate or box, I provide the lateral edges of the partition with pins or nails indicated at 1). To receive said pins or nails the side portions of the crate or box may be kerfcd or slotted as indicated at g, or the side portions may be provided with slotted cleats r secured thereto in any suita ble manner, the pins or nails in the partition projecling into said slots 01' cleats. The construction is such that the partition may be readily lifted out of the slots of the cleats or kcrls in the sides of the box when the bottom is removed. The top is indicated at s and is formed with a sliding anel indicated at 15 arranged to slide longituc inally of the cover the sides of the cover being connected by end strips 14. The sliding panel is provided with cross strips to toward its extremities, the ends of the panel projecting under the cross strips to. hen the cover is applied to the body of the crate the side portions o of the cover at one end thereof may be extended under the cross pieces of one of the end portions and the opposite end of the sliding panel may be caused to project underneath the adjacent cross piece of the opposite end portion of the crate.

The end portions of the crate are preferably provided with handles indicated at :20.

I prefer that the upright cleats at the ends of the sides of the crate or box should be grooved on their inner surfaces to receive the Wires which form the jointed connection of the sides with the end portions.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A folding crate or box comprisingfold ing side and end portions, a removable bottom, and a partition jointedly connected with the bottom intermediate its extremities, and means to support the partition in upright position, whereby the partition may be lifted out of engagement with the side portions when the bottom is removed.

2. A folding crate or box comprising side portions and end portions jointedly connected the one with the other, a removable bottom, and a partition jointedly connected with the bottom intermediate its extremities, the side portions being provided at their extremities, respectively, with upright cleats, the end portions provided at the top and bottom thereof respectively with cross-bars, and wires extending lengthwise of said upright cleats from end to end thereof, respectively, the extremities of the wires passed through the ends of the adjacent cross-bars and clenched down thereupon, to form a jointed connection of the side portions with the end portions.

3. A folding crate or box comprising side portions and end portions ointedly connected the one with the other, the side portions being provided at their extremities, respectively, with upright cleats, and the end portions provided at the top and bottom thereof, respectively, with cross-bars, and wires extending lengthwise of said cleats, respectively, the extremities of the wires passed through the ends of the adjacent cross-bars and clenched down thereupon, said cleats grooved on their inner surfaces to receive and conceal said wires to form the jointed connection of the side portions with the end portions.

4. Afolding crate or box comprising folding side and end portions, a removable bottom provided intermediate its extremities with wire staples, and a artition kerfed on its lower edge to receive the loops of said staples, pins or nails driven though the edges of the partition and through said staples to form a jointed engagement of the partition with the bottom, the extremities of said sta ples being clenched underneath said bottom, the partition provided with laterally project ing pins, and the sides of the crate provided with slots open at their upper ends to receive said pins, whereby the partition may be lifted out of the slots when the bottom is removed. 1

5. Afolding crate or box comprising side portions provided with upright cleats and end portions provided with cross bars jointedly connected with the extremities of the adjacent cleats, a removable bottom resting upon the bottom cleats of the end portions, a partition intermediate the extremities of the bottom having a jointed engagement therewith, and a cover constructed with a sliding panel to engage under the upper cross-bars of the end portions.

6. Afolding crate or box comprising folding side and end portions, a removable bottom, and a partition jointedly connected with the bottom intermediate its extremities, the partition provided with laterally projecting pins, and the sides of the crate provided with slots open at their upper ends to receive said pins, whereby the partition may be lifted out of said slots when the bottom is removed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

JOHN F. BUTCHER. WVitnesses N. S. WRIGHT, A. M. MURPHY, 

